I'm getting back into making music after a long break and I like the recent Cannibal Corpse tone and pretty much all of Suffocation's sound. I used to have a Randall RH100 which I thought was pretty good for what I play but i'd like to try something different. I've heard a lot about the Ampeg VH140c but I found a SS140c for sale near me. Any comments on this amp?

How would it compare to the Randall RH100 I used to have? If you're familiar with the Randall anyway...

If I remember correctly the SS-140c uses the same electronics as the VH-140c. The Vh-140c was used on Effigy Of The Forgotten and maybe breeding the spawn, but I know if you want the tone off Peirced, you won't find it in those heads. The 2120 I have can get pretty closed to the peirced sound, but its a bit more defined and kind of mixed with the tone from Symbolic.

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Originally Posted by Transient

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2006-10-16, 01:47

Zombietime

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Innards-Decay

If I remember correctly the SS-140c uses the same electronics as the VH-140c. The Vh-140c was used on Effigy Of The Forgotten and maybe breeding the spawn, but I know if you want the tone off Peirced, you won't find it in those heads. The 2120 I have can get pretty closed to the peirced sound, but its a bit more defined and kind of mixed with the tone from Symbolic.

im talking bass though.
most of the bass hybrids have 3 or 4 tubes, and the ones im looking at are all atleast 1000 u.s.
so
IF THE TUBE IS ACTUALLY USED does it sound like an all tube?
or do you need to have tube power also?

It's going to sound different, obviously more sterile and tight, and you won't be able to get all that much headroom with a SS poweramp combared to a tube one(plus it won't sound as good as a tube PA at very high volumes), but if it's got enough wattage(probably will) it won't matter much plus you're going to end up micing a cab in a live situation anyway.

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Originally Posted by far_beyond_sane

(Did you know In Flames had a 2005 album called "Come Clarity"? How prophetic. I think they're trying to tell us all their sperm are dead.)

im talking bass though.
most of the bass hybrids have 3 or 4 tubes, and the ones im looking at are all atleast 1000 u.s.
so
IF THE TUBE IS ACTUALLY USED does it sound like an all tube?
or do you need to have tube power also?

IMO that style of hybrid is a horrible idea for guitar amps but a great idea for basse amps. Id put my M-Pulse up against any tube amp any day.

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Don't waste your time trying to play CC through a SS Ampeg.. Your just gonna get garbage gain with shitty fizz everywhere.. if you want that.. buy a Metalzone.

If you want a good metal tone.. for a low price.. Just buy a used 5150 or something along those lines.

2006-11-05, 05:37

Zombietime

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Quote:

Originally Posted by CaseyMAN

Don't waste your time trying to play CC through a SS Ampeg.. Your just gonna get garbage gain with shitty fizz everywhere.. if you want that.. buy a Metalzone.

If you want a good metal tone.. for a low price.. Just buy a used 5150 or something along those lines.

Suffocation has shitty fizzy tone? Don't want another tube amp.

2006-11-05, 14:12

CaseyMAN

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Did i Say that.. SS = Solid State.. ampegs tend to sound thin an loose.. not your best bet for death metal.. Sorry.

2006-11-05, 18:45

ThornsOfHeaven200

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I would have to diagree with you. Dying Fetus and Misery Index as well as some other bands use solid state Ampeg heads and I would definitely not describe their sound as loose or thin sounding.

2006-11-09, 12:27

Zombietime

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Quote:

Originally Posted by CaseyMAN

Did i Say that.. SS = Solid State.. ampegs tend to sound thin an loose.. not your best bet for death metal.. Sorry.

Maybe some of their other amps aren't good for this music but everyone and every review says the vh-140 and ss-140 are brutal metal amps.

2006-11-12, 21:00

GrindingDeath

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They are fucking brutal. I play through an Ampeg Vl1002 (all tube, designed by Lee Jackson), Im assuming its a higher version of the vh140 or something. The sound is incredibly thick, and it has loads and loads of fucking gain, more gain than my friends Mesa. I know the Vh140 Suffocation and Dying Fetus use, and I think Odious Mortem (or maby it was Disgorge, one of those bands). I would say it is perfect for Technical Death Metal, If you have more cash, you could search up a Vl1002, but they are hard to find and a bit expensive, im lucky .

2006-11-13, 05:00

xdislexicx

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Quote:

Originally Posted by CaseyMAN

Don't waste your time trying to play CC through a SS Ampeg.. Your just gonna get garbage gain with shitty fizz everywhere.. if you want that.. buy a Metalzone.

funny you should say....

the crate shockwave's preamp, aswell as the older gx130c are built around the preamp design of the vh140c. and jack owens(ex cannibal corpse) played the gx130ch for many years before switching to the bv300.

as for the metalzone comment, it's said that pat from cc has used an mt-2 with his triple recto... not too sure if it's just a recording thing or if he does it live too. aside from that, i hate metalzones...

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2006-11-13, 16:24

Soeru

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Effigy of the Forgotten was recorded with this amp. THAT SAYS A WHOLE FUCKING LOT.

Edit: By the way, Erik Rutan used the Ampeg Lee Jackson on all of the solos he's done on most of his records, both in Morbid Angel and Hate Eternal, as well as in Alas and all of his other guest solos in other bands.

Last edited by Soeru : 2006-11-13 at 16:28.

2007-01-18, 08:07

Zombietime

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Well here's an update if anyone cares. I bought a Crate GX-130C from ebay for 200 bucks. It's the combo version. I heard CCorpse used these in the past and the preamp is based on the Ampeg VH140c. I hope I like it. I should based on the reviews of like minded individuals. I'm just happy to get back into the guitar thing after taking a long break.

2007-01-18, 09:23

Soeru

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It should sound pretty good, but not exactly like the Ampeg. Definately the "next best thing" to an Ampeg combo because they're hard to find these days, but Crate GX's are fuck-all common. Just hope it doesnt succumb to spontaneous channel switching though, good luck.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by far_beyond_sane

(Did you know In Flames had a 2005 album called "Come Clarity"? How prophetic. I think they're trying to tell us all their sperm are dead.)

2007-01-18, 11:30

Zombietime

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Soeru

It should sound pretty good, but not exactly like the Ampeg. Definately the "next best thing" to an Ampeg combo because they're hard to find these days, but Crate GX's are fuck-all common. Just hope it doesnt succumb to spontaneous channel switching though, good luck.

Yah it's the best I could do with my limited income. Being married and having a shitty job does that to you. I'm happy to have a noise box again though. I have to say though, they're not as readily available on ebay as much and the ones that are are expensive. I've seen some of the heads go for like 100 - 150. I think I got a good deal on the combo. If it does mess up, I work for an electronics manufacturer so I can fix it myself or have one of the engineers look at it.

Last edited by Zombietime : 2007-01-18 at 11:34.

2007-01-18, 15:30

suffo02

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Quote:

Originally Posted by CaseyMAN

Did i Say that.. SS = Solid State.. ampegs tend to sound thin an loose.. not your best bet for death metal.. Sorry.

Thats why anyone should but a sonic maximizer behind it if you want to get the beef with any amp thats not as good on its own!

Effigy of the Forgotten was recorded with this amp. THAT SAYS A WHOLE FUCKING LOT.

Edit: By the way, Erik Rutan used the Ampeg Lee Jackson on all of the solos he's done on most of his records, both in Morbid Angel and Hate Eternal, as well as in Alas and all of his other guest solos in other bands.

(Did you know In Flames had a 2005 album called "Come Clarity"? How prophetic. I think they're trying to tell us all their sperm are dead.)

2009-04-05, 08:23

cryogenics66

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ampeg problem

I have an ss 140c head and I'm having trouble w the channel switching; it's not switching from the A to the B channel. It's pissing me off! I took the thing apart and cleaned it up a bit, but it's not switching to the B channel. Anybody have a clue to what it could be? I don't want to get rid of it cause it has some great distortion and the clean channel is very good.

I have an ss 140c head and I'm having trouble w the channel switching; it's not switching from the A to the B channel. It's pissing me off! I took the thing apart and cleaned it up a bit, but it's not switching to the B channel. Anybody have a clue to what it could be? I don't want to get rid of it cause it has some great distortion and the clean channel is very good.

the relay either has broken connections, or is fried. Easy fix.

OR, your footswitch is broken. Again, easy fix.

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I have an ampeg ss 140c for sale. If anyone want it just pm me and i will sell through ebay with paypal. This amp have really nice tone you can do a shearch on youtube to ear it and i played it alot through a vader cabinet and its crazy.

2009-05-26, 16:15

CarnalAltar

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Zombie, I'm not sure but I think that the VH-140c is a tube counterpart to the ss-140c.